Greece Relocation Checklist — Europe Unlocked

Phase 1 · 12–18 months out

Decide with real numbers

Take a scouting trip — 90 days visa-free per rolling 180 (the EES system has been counting your days since October 2025; carry an IDP to rent a car) Pick your route: FIP (passive income, €3,500/mo), digital nomad (remote work, €3,500/mo net), or Golden Visa (€400k–800k property) — compare all three Shortlist regions with the Where to Live guide — and check the February ferry schedule, not the August one Build a monthly budget from the Cost of Living data — the FIP requires €4,200/mo for a couple; real budgets often run below it Book a cross-border tax consultation — the 7% pensioner regime interacts with US citizenship-based taxation and Canadian departure tax; model it before deciding Start Greek lessons — citizenship at year 7 requires roughly B1 Greek for the PEGP exam, and village life rewards it long before that

Phase 2 · 6–12 months out

Build the paper foundation

Confirm which Greek consulate covers your state or province and read its current FIP/visa checklist — practice varies by post Gather income evidence: pension/Social Security/CPP/OAS award letters, 6–12 months of bank statements, tax returns Request your FBI (US) or RCMP (Canada) criminal record check, then have it apostilled — these expire, so time it against your appointment Get certified Greek translations of foreign documents — budget weeks, not days Buy health insurance covering your stay, including hospitalisation and repatriation (€30,000 minimum at visa stage) — FIP and Golden Visa holders stay on private cover (Healthcare guide) Line up accommodation evidence — a lease or deed strengthens the file

Phase 3 · 3–6 months out

Apply — at the consulate, not from a Greek beach

Book and attend your national (type D) visa appointment — you cannot convert a tourist stay into a FIP permit from inside Greece Submit the full file: application, passport, photos, income evidence, apostilled police check, medical certificate, insurance, accommodation proof While you wait: plan the physical move — see Living for the driving-licence and pet rules Pets: ISO microchip → rabies shot ≥21 days before travel → EU health certificate endorsed by USDA-APHIS or CFIA within 10 days of flying Request a confirmation letter for your driving licence from your DMV or provincial ministry — you'll need it for the no-test exchange in Greece Receive your D visa and book travel

Phase 4 · Arrival & first 90 days

Become a resident, properly

File your residence-permit application with the Ministry of Migration & Asylum, with biometrics — the blue-certificate receipt keeps you legal while it processes (often several months) Get your AFM (tax number) — free via AADE, and required for property, bank, utilities, and a car (Tax & Finance guide) Open or activate your Greek bank account — expect in-person requirements Diarise March 31 — the 7% pensioner-regime application deadline for the tax year; miss it and you pay progressive rates for a year (the 7% guide) Exchange your US/Canadian driving licence — no driving test; certified translation, DMV confirmation letter, and a medical exam (Living guide) Track your days — 183+ per year keeps the FIP permit renewable and your tax regime valid; mark year 5 (EU long-term residence) and year 7 (citizenship eligibility) in the calendar

The rules here moved twice in two years — the Golden Visa tiers (Sept 2024) and the FIP threshold jump to €3,500 (Jan 2025). The newsletter below is how we tell you when this page changes.

The whole move,in order.

Decide with real numbers

Build the paper foundation

Apply — at the consulate, not from a Greek beach

Become a resident, properly

This checklist updates. So should you.

The whole move,
in order.